12 Years Old Whisky

Browse our whisky database by the age of the whisky. The 'age' of a whisky is the time it spent in the 'cask' before being bottled. The longer a whisky remains in the cask, the more flavour it will acquire and the less spirit will remain.

The age of a whisk(e)y is determined by the length of time it has spent in the cask before being bottled. Once the whisk(e)y has been bottled the aging process stops. A whisk(e)y bottled at 10 years old will always be a 10 year old whisk(e)y even in a hundred years. By then the vintage of the whisk(e)y would still make it a rare and valuable item.

When dealing especially with blends, but also with single malts, some of the whiskies may be older than the stated age. However none of the whiskies will be younger.

12 year old whiskies

Bunnahabhain 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 46.30%7What was already a very fine (if underrated) 12yo has been given greater depth with a bump up in strength and non chill filtering. It's now one of the best on the market.

Aultmore 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 46.00%7The nose displays a lovely freshness and though the rather dominant oak reigns that freshness in on the palate, it is still a thoroughly enjoyable aperitif style whisky.

Ballantine's Gold Seal, 12 Years OldBlended - Scotland - 43.00%7Gold seal is a particularly rich version of Ballantine, but this bottling seems even sweeter and less peaty than I remember. For me, the syrupiness swamps the house character.

Blair Athol 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 43.00%7The obvious sherry ageing really suits Blair Athol. It is a malt that matures quickly, and this is very sophisticated for its age. A lovely whisky.

Bowmore 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 40.00%8Glad to see a Bowmore with an age rather than a brand-name.

Bowmore 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 40.00%2Peat is integrated in oak though wood is not overwhelming. Water changes the rules, bringing peat and smoke forward.

Bushmills 12 Years Old Distillery ReserveSingle Malt - Ireland - 40.00%7Despite being a malt, it still, somehow has an Irish accent. Slightly more personality than the Bushmills malt at 16 Years Old. Drinkable and sociable.

Caol Ila 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 43.00%8Of the three expressions in this tasting, this is the most rounded and balanced. All the classic Caol Ila aromas and flavours are there, with no sharp edges. Vatted for drinkability?

Caol Ila 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 43.00%3A balanced expression of peat in this version. A lot of intricate aromas in this dram.

Dewar Rattray Tamdhu 12 Years Old 1980Single Malt - Scotland - 57.10%7An enticing note and a more “square” palate. It needs water to cut the edges. Quite refreshing and invigorating for a “floral dew”.

Glenfiddich 12 Years Old, Toasted OakSingle Malt - Scotland - 40.00%7A bit of a let down after such a great nose. A very pretty whisky but higher alcohol might have given it better impact in the mouth.

Hibiki 12 Years OldBlended - Japan - 43.00%A combination of Japanese purity and intensity of aroma and the use of some plum-cask matured whisky gives a complex and multifaceted result - it's what blending should be.

Johnnie Walker Black LabelBlended - Scotland - 40.00%9Deceptively gentle at first. I have on occasion been completely led astray by what seems to be mildness of this whisky, then taken on a journey of rediscovery. I find new flavours every time.

Old Fitzgerald 12 Years OldBourbon - U.S.A. - 45.00%8Characterful, but not an easy whisky on the basis of this bottling. Bitterness seems to have gained a notch at the expense of the fudge flavours. Water brings it back, but not all the way.

Redbreast 12 Years OldBlended - Ireland - 40.00%9Delicious, soothing, contemplative. A great whiskey. Makes me want to get on a plane to Dublin immediately.

Redbreast 12 Years OldPot Still - Ireland - 40.00%8Those oily, cakey aromas still have me hankering for a weekend in Dublin. Tea and cakes at the Shelbourne, then off to the Horseshoe Bar for the first whiskey of the evening.

Redbreast 12 Years OldPot Still - Ireland - 40.00%9This is what real pure pot still whiskey is all about, a glorious contradiction of soft fruit and firm grain, oily seeds and sweet wood. World beating stuff.

Redbreast Cask StrengthPot Still - Republic of Ireland - 57.70%9Redbreast is one of the world's great whiskeys. Delicious!

Rosebank 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 43.00%7Relatively young, but beginning to weary nonetheless. Perhaps this tiredness is caused by worry about the future. A feminine whisky that has lost the first bloom of youth. Snatch a kiss while you can.

Springbank 12 Years Old, Rum CaskSingle Malt - Scotland - 54.60%8More rounded and elegant than the earlier, 10 Years Old rum cask. I enjoy the Springbank rum cask whiskies very much, though not at the expense of the more traditional expressions.

Strathisla 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 43.00%8A malt that dares to be truly oaky. Thank heavens for boldness and individuality in a world where blandness is always an easier option. This beautiful old distillery is Chivas' showpiece, but it is mo...

The Arran Malt 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 46.00%7Really disappointing.Where is the fresh lively sweet character of Arran ? Has it lost its sparkle ? This whisky seems alreadytired.Or is it me ?

Van Winkle 12 Years Old, Lot BBourbon - U.S.A. - 45.20%8This should obviously be an ingredient of all self-respecting desserts. An accompaniment to them, too. And an after dinner drink. You are in a dry county? So what?

Wild Turkey Kentucky SpiritBourbon - U.S.A. - 50.50%8My descriptors make it sound like a dessert whisky, but it is also very appetising. Just a tad too sophisticated for me.

Yamazaki 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Japan - 43.00%7This was a pioneering malt in Japan, for which Suntory deserve great credit.

Yamazaki 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Japan - 43.00%7A pioneering malt in Japan, for which Suntory deserve great credit. In its early days, it was rounded and delicate, as though wary of offending anyone. Now it is more intense, confident and elegant.

Yamazaki 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Japan - 43.00%7An open and conversational whisky. Does not boast complexity but has a vibrant fruity aromatic profile. Tastes stronger than 43%.

Yamazaki 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Japan - 43.00%7The palate does not keep what the nose promises. Disappointing. Sweetness does not make up for flavour.

Yoichi 12 Years Old, Peaty and SaltySingle Malt - Japan - 55.00%8An interesting combination of fruit and peat. They don't mingle, they keep playing hide and seek. More complexity than it appears. Water makes it caressing.